Analysts Harold Reynolds and Al Leiter agreed Cabrera should've been in the top spot.

"He's done it for a long time," Leiter said. "You talk about an everyday player, 161 games, Triple Crown, need I say more? He was more than capable of being solid at third base. I think he's the No. 1 player."

Added Reynolds: "He can play third. He can play first. And obviously he's the best offensive player in the game."

Cabrera received 22 of a possible 28 first-place votes in winning the MVP award over Trout, after hitting .330 with 44 home runs and 139 RBI.

It's the second consecutive season Verlander has finished No. 2 on the list. Entering 2012, he was behind Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp. Reynolds called Verlander "the dominant pitcher of this modern era."

Prince Fielder dropped one spot from the 2012 list, but still came in at No. 11 after hitting .313 with 30 home runs and 108 RBI in his first season in Detroit.

"When you have a guy like Prince, who can protect the middle of your order and the big boys in it, you're going to continue to have a winning club," Reynolds said. "And that's probably more valuable than the numbers he put up."